"The Vacuum Cleaner - A History" by Carroll Gantz

[aeoliandave]

My copy arrived today from Amazon.ca. Only briefly leafed through it but I am already impressed enough to recommend its inclusion on every vacuum collector's bookshelf. I look forward to digesting its comprehensive contents over the weekend.


 


The original thread has fallen into archives but here's the link which should be accessible to all, since it was posted in Vintage Forum in early February.


 


Dave


 


 



http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?19713

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Dave - Thanks a million for creating this thread.

I was fortunate enough to reply to a post here on VacuumLand that Mr. Gantz had started sometime in late 2011; when he was looking for someone to help him review his manuscript, prior to the book going to press. Tom Gasko had previously been helping him out, but was unable to complete with assisting due to some family matters. I picked up the baton and reviewed the manuscript over the course of a few weeks, offering advice -- additions and subtractions where I could. I know that he also used various other resources as well, the Hoover Historical Center being one of them.

It is a fascinating and very comprehensive book and I agree, should be on every collector's shelf. I learned quite a bit myself while reading it. He goes back to early cleaning methods, pre-electricity, to illustrate a picture of how important the vacuum cleaner actually is in the home.

The man who wrote the book, Carrol Gantz, is a retired industrial designer -- and he worked for Hoover from I believe 1957 until 1972. The Dial-A-Matic was one of his designs, and he still uses a model 1110 DAM as his vacuum cleaner to this day. He also helped design numerous other Hoovers along the way: the Portable, Slimline, Swingette, Floor A Matic, Floor Washer, etc... It was thrilling to be able to correspond with him and provide any help that I could. He left Hoover and went to Black & Decker in 1972, and one of his accomplishments while there was designing the Dustbuster.

Pretty remarkable achievements, and a must-read book!


http://www.amazon.com/Vacuum-Cleane...1362794123&sr=1-5&keywords=the+vacuum+cleaner

 

[raycarter]

One other Hoover design created by Carroll Gantz was the small square Convertible motor housing, first used on models 1010 and 1060 in 1966.

 

[dysondestijl]

Like I said last time that DC03 is messed up!

 

[petek]

Like I said last time that DC03 is messed up!

?

 

[dysondestijl]

@petek: well the cyclone is on the other side, I know dyson do this sometimes but with the DC03 it looks stupid as one side looks completely different to the other, so it just looks weird!!

 

[aeoliandave]

Good eye and good catch,


 


Authors rarely if ever design their own book covers.


I believe that what we are seeing is simply a flipped image (which appears in black & white in the book) in order to conform to some cover editor's layout for symmetry without regard for accuracy. If it was later noticed it would have been too expensive to correct in later editions (if there are any). It is in fact a stock Dyson Company photo as seen in the DC03 brochure picture below - note the angles and shadows.


 


Certainly it is not serious enough to deter anyone from having this book. I am 23 pages into it just beginning the section on Carpet Sweepers and I must say the writing and text are riveting. This is not a book one reads in one evening but rather savors for the wealth of informational minutia  and historical perspective.


 


Dave


 

 

[caligula]

Hi Dave.

This book looks interesting, and I plan to buy a copy. There's no other known book on the history of the vacuum cleaner, so I'm interested in seeing it. When John Lucia and I held our first club meeting in May of 1985, the topic of the 6 members getting together and writing a book was discussed, and we planned to do it. But none of us had enough information, so the idea simply faded. As a man who has written a lot about Electrolux, Kirby and a smattering of non electric machines, I know this is a lot of research. If you like it, that's good enough for me.

There is a certain museum which I won't deal with because the curator was extremely nasty to me. But vacuum cleaner history is a fascenating topic, and I'm chomping at the bit to read this. The big question is how much information on the non electric is there? I see an Allen on the cover, thats the silver machine that looks like a post hole digger. It was jokingly called 'the bossom builder' in the early days as women had to go into training to operate one.

So please keep all of us posted on this book. By the way, does it mention the VCCC?, and finally, how can I get in contact with the author?

I miss hearing from you my friend, you're very valuable to me, and to the club.

with deep friendship,

Alex Taber.

 

[mieles7]

Here's a book I got when I was about 4 on the history of vacuums. It's a lot shorter than your book though.

http://www.amazon.com/Vacuum-Cleaners-Household-History-Elaine/dp/1575050188

 

[caligula]

Hi Dave.

I just looked up this book and am impressed by the little I got to see. Looking through the index is the name Robert Tabor, and that makes me woder if it's me. A lot of pepole spell my name wrong an O instead of an E. Of the little I've seen I like it.

Tell us more.

Alex Taber.

 

[aeoliandave]

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Yes, Alex, that reference is to you, unfortunately miss-spelled, as the discoverer and owner of only the second Whirlwind known to exist.
If I recall correctly there was an 1871 fire at the Chicago factory followed by the 1872 one at the Boston factory, that destroyed virtually all the stock and the Company folded. The company, The American Carpet Cleaning Company of Boston sold very few McGaffey Whirlwinds and reported losing $60,000.
McGaffey went on to try to electrify the Whirlwind in 1900 with little success.
 
<a name="start_19896.222968">how much information on the non electric is there?</a>
 
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I'm almost 1/3 through the book and only just began reading about the application of electric motors.</span>
 
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dave
</span>

 

[aeoliandave]

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Yes, Alex, that reference is to you, unfortunately miss-spelled, as the discoverer and owner of only the second Whirlwind known to exist.


If I recall correctly there was an 1871 fire at the Chicago factory followed by the 1872 one at the Boston factory, that destroyed virtually all the stock and the Company folded. The company, The American Carpet Cleaning Company of Boston sold very few McGaffey Whirlwinds and reported losing $60,000.


McGaffey went on to try to electrify the Whirlwind in 1900 with little success.


 


<a name="start_19896.222968">how much information on the non electric is there?</a>


 


<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I'm almost 1/3 through the book and only just began reading about the application of electric motors.</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dave
</span>

 

[caligula]

Hi Dave.

Thanks for the information, and don't worry about the name, that happens often.

At the risk of repeating myself once too often, yes. Ives W. Mc'Gaffy invented a hand cranked vacuum cleaner called the Whirlwind. The patent date is Jube 8, 1869, and it's interesting to note that the Murry J. Spangler's Electric Suction Sweeper was patented on June 8, 1907. The other information is also correct, though I didn't know the information on the fire in Boston. I am indeed the owner of the second Whirlwind, the other is owned by The Hoover Historical Center. In 1988 I got a call from John Lucia that The National Enquirer was running a contest to find the reader with the oldest working vacuum cleaner. He suggested I enter. As he said "we all know you'll win it" so I entered and won. So there you have it, the man who founded the VCCC with the oldest known vacuum cleaner. And as you probably know, the birthplace of the club was The Hoover Historical Center.

On the wall is the article from The National Enquirer, and two pictures taken at the Hoover Historical Center. The top one is me with the other Whirlwind. The group picture is when the VCCC returned to it's birthplace, in 1994. You have my full permission to enlarge these, and post them, which I'm sure the club would love to see.

When you finish the book let me know, and please send me info on the author so I can thank him.

Alex Taber.

 

[aeoliandave]

I'm about 4/5 through the book and wish I had had a post-it pad standing by.
There is so much information I'll want to refer back to in years to come. Thankfully the index and manuscript reference notes in back are quite detailed.

Mr Gantz does us all a service in explaining which companies started when and under what circumstances and name changes, reveals principal original patent inventors (including patent numbers you can google up), then as the decades roll by, which companies absorbed other companies in their mission to become #1.

The sections on Air-Way & Rexair design evolution and the Filter Queen bagless cyclonic invention saga and the reasoning behind the GE Roll-Easy are worth the cover price alone. Even a full explanation of the two Lewyt Lawsuits, as well as many others in harsh light of world economics and ruthless competition from 1900 through both War years, the depressions and recessions - the ups and downs of global matters and the meteoric rise of Industrial Designers following the Chicago Century Of Progress Worlds Fair in 1933/34. (Henry Dreyfus was on the today's equivalent of an annual $400,000 consultation retainer fee until 1955 when the contact was not renewed and he hired himself out to other manufacturers). Hoover and the other companies started their own internal Design and Engineering Departments to lower exorbitant designer fees.
I was not aware that Eureka was beating Hoover's sales ass for so many decades...

As much as I'd like to post fascinating excerpts for our members, the book is so new the author is entitled to as many sales as he can get and our Club's heartfelt thanks and support for a superb piece of historical perspective on such a small but important subject.
This is a book that should be purchased by every library if they are informed about it (if its not already on the shelves). It's a true textbook history. It is Mr Gantz's 4th book about the Industrialization Of Design History from the Steam Age to Today but this one focuses on Vacuum Cleaners.

There is no contact information in the book other than that Mr Gantz lives on Seabrook Island in South Carolina.

I am sure however that Folks we know that assisted him, as did our own Fred Stachnik, will pass on the interest his book has stirred up among the VCCC faithful.

$45.09 with free shipping from Amazon (Canadian or USA store) is a worthy investment for a book you will refer to year after year.

Dave

 

[caligula]

Thank you Dave!

I'm pleased you like it, and yes, I plan to get it. Once I do, I'll contact the publisher, and have him forward a letter of thanks. It's one subject that deals with a lot of data, and I thought of writing it, but knew it would be too overwhelming for me, so I never did it. A lot of people think I know everything about the vacuum cleaner, but this is far from true. I've always been a historian, and research many things not only vacuum cleaners, and I've learned a lot in 62 years. However, most of my knowlage is non electric, Electrolux and Kirby. Even there, many things are fuzzy, so this book will clear up a lot. And yes, if I find I got a few things wrong, I'll be the first to write a correction. I plan to order this after I get my stuff out of storage in Indiana. Once I get my Electrolux parts back here, I'll get that model LX hose to you for a latex treatment.

Thank's again,

Alex Taber.

 

[danny]

Hi my name is Danny ryan Plese send me a copy to hiway 56 684 rr1 yourk
IN Hamilton ontario Canada please and Thank you the postollcode is Noa1ro Danny.